This film left me paralyzed. Lesage draws such an excellent portrait of a variety of youth grappling with identity, ideas of freedoms, and first loves that is pure emotion in eliciting our own histories as a vital part to the film's digestion. I particularly liked the attentive eye to the developmental stage of coming to terms with one's own age-appropriate egotism and how that impacts emerging adults on an existential level. The ideas of freedom exist exactly where they're meant to, in a place of impulsive gut-feelings in action rather than clear logic. If a character wonders whether they should try new experiences when looking at their future as an overwhelming enigma of possibilities, they initiate that conversation, and the consequences of these are learning experiences of emotion and growth best left to the incredible exposition of emotional expression and movement through space rather than big speeches or profound 'a-ha' realizations.zedz wrote: ↑Sun Aug 11, 2019 7:03 pmGenesis (Philippe Lesage) – Like the director’s previous Les Démons, this is a scarily perceptive study of the perils and joys of youth. What he does at the end of the film is so audacious that I can’t even talk obliquely about it without spoiling it, and I can’t even think about it without smiling.
The soundtrack is perfect at coating meditative moments with the music that adds significance to our emotions, and transcends the idea of soundtrack as artifice. When Noée Abita takes the train to see her boyfriend as serene music blasts I was reminded of all the train and bus rides I took for the same reasons in my youth, and how listening to music was the best self-medication for catharsis; when she dances at clubs I was also reminded of those fleeting moments of bliss that one wants to immortalize but are best left to soaking up the moment and then letting go; and when the song kicks on after a tender farewell, well, we know that she'll be blasting this song into her ears for hours while reflecting on that memory- and perhaps this is that, a celebration of all the memories we have for moments and our own process of returning to memories like this.
These youths cope with rejection and disappointing returns on expectations with internalized performances the way people really do. There is an innate resilience people issue that is often overlooked whether in film or in real life by ourselves, but Lesage captures these strengths without resorting to even slight exploitation. If anything, he softens the tone so much that we lose our own expectations and calmly join with these characters as they traverse their own internal and social terrains.
Regarding the ending:
SpoilerShow
When the story transitioned to the new character (well, I haven't seen Les Démons yet) Felix, I was intrigued to get another summer of blossoming love. When Felix and his love interest, Sandrine, and her friend Beatrice, approach the director(?) in the dark, who tells them where to stand and what to do, I had to rewind to make sure I didn't hallucinate, and then it happened again. And then we get the actual ending, where they must part ways on the last day of camp. All great things must come to an end... until we see Sandrine and Beatrice walk into the woods. Beatrice turns around, smiles at who (or what) she sees, and runs back to chase down her friend.
Who does she see.. Felix? The filmmaker? The camera following their continued existence, thereby validating it? I love the idea that it's Felix, refusing to settle for an on-screen goodbye, hanging onto their story together for a moment longer; or it could be us, watching and acknowledging the very real connection we feel, thereby joining with Sandrine's pain in an empathic harmony while silently telling her it will all be okay.
I also love the idea that the filmmaker serves as a god here, telling them what to do (seemingly intruding on the natural air of the earlier scenes) as a conscience -perhaps representing the internal anxious voices youth experience that prevent culmination of affection, only to then refuse to abandon them, signaling that there is no ending or escape from life - that they will continue to breathe, love, exist, and experience after this chapter ends. The director/conscience is still with them to guide, but isn't speaking, allowing the process to exist in an empowered Sandrine, trusting her without abandoning her. How liberating this is. It could also be as broad as the ability to look back on the past with a smile, as experience and our memories are what have shaped us, and are our most precious possessions, our reasons for living. The existential embrace of gratitude.
Who does she see.. Felix? The filmmaker? The camera following their continued existence, thereby validating it? I love the idea that it's Felix, refusing to settle for an on-screen goodbye, hanging onto their story together for a moment longer; or it could be us, watching and acknowledging the very real connection we feel, thereby joining with Sandrine's pain in an empathic harmony while silently telling her it will all be okay.
I also love the idea that the filmmaker serves as a god here, telling them what to do (seemingly intruding on the natural air of the earlier scenes) as a conscience -perhaps representing the internal anxious voices youth experience that prevent culmination of affection, only to then refuse to abandon them, signaling that there is no ending or escape from life - that they will continue to breathe, love, exist, and experience after this chapter ends. The director/conscience is still with them to guide, but isn't speaking, allowing the process to exist in an empowered Sandrine, trusting her without abandoning her. How liberating this is. It could also be as broad as the ability to look back on the past with a smile, as experience and our memories are what have shaped us, and are our most precious possessions, our reasons for living. The existential embrace of gratitude.
I loved this movie, which scratches my itch for authentic films about youth - a subgenre that is among my favorites, if not my favorite and this is one of the best in recent memory. Thanks zedz, I never would have found this without your praise! Hopefully more people check this one out, especially given how many members seem to adore films like this too.
